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Going further to transform the lives of children at Protect a Girls Image.

In the rural community of Kangai, located in Kenya’s Kirinyaga County, eight-year-old Evelyn Wambui  stands with a radiant smile at the edge of the garden. Her mother, Rose, is busy harvesting tomatoes.

This is a typical day for women in this village. Women are charged with the responsibility of taking care of the homestead, children and doing casual jobs to feed their children. The lucky few get husbands who help but most of them are either single mothers or they have incompetent husbands who cannot provide.

Each morning, many women will flock the rice farms and tomato farms to get casual jobs. And to earn an extra buck, they will take their older children with them.

The task is no mean feat; it exposes them to threats like influenza from the rice water, blisters, and cuts. Aside from the fatigue they endure while farming all day, many women live in fear of being physically and sexually abused. The daily minimum wage also robs the women of the time and opportunity to take good care of their children and engage in other income generating activities.

 

Despite these hurdles, tides are slowly but surely changing in most of the affected families. Protect A Girls Image has come up with a project that funds the sustenance of these families.

“As a parent myself, it breaks my heart to stare into the seemingly lifeless eyes of children emaciated by poverty who are too weak to play, learn and engage in daily life activities.” Says our CEO Margaret Wangui.

“I empathise with the pain that their parents are going through, as it is not easy to watch your child suffer yet remain helpless and unable to end the suffering. I had to do something!” She Adds

 

 

 

This project is helping 43 needy families to cope effectively with the poverty through access to clean water, food, clothing and education training.

It has not been easy. As corona virus continues to wreak havoc on the economy, reliance on random donations to sustain these families is no longer sustainable. Decrease in donor funding opportunities for our organization has forced us to embrace new funding models.

The project begun in 2020 by laying the foundation. The biggest problem that we have faced is a constant rise in project costs. This is practically due to the rise in prices of steel and oil, caused by the weakening of local currency against the dollar. We have had to pause the project in between months to give time for raising more funds.

 

As we continue to work with our short-term external donors, we will also be going further in our local resource mobilization efforts, so as to raise finances or get in-kind support that will help finish this project. Therefore, we are praying that the residential building project will be is worthwhile. With a stable income stream, families can buy food and afford other basic needs for their children and families irrespective of the economic patterns. We will also be able to build a modern safe house for children who run away from hostile family environment.

It will be good to see that women and children are enjoying lives as a result of improved nutrition, increased access to safe water, food security and education. We sincerely thank our CEO Margaret Wangui for her continuous commitment to transform lives through this project. Moreover, We appreciate the trust we have for our team and other stakeholders.

If you wish to help finish the project, Please click HERE. No organization can do it alone. As the African proverb aptly says: “If you want to go fast, go alone; but if you want to go far, go together”.  Therefore, if we are to go further together, we all need to join hands and advocate strongly for the improved well-being of our children.

READ MORE:

The Story Of The Woman Who Founded Protect A Girls’ Image.

What should I teach my preschooler about sex and sexuality?

 

 

What should I teach my preschooler about sex and sexuality?

Young kids are curious, and have lots of questions. Being open to these questions without judgment at this age shows them that you’re a source of support.

What should I keep in mind?

The way you talk about sexuality sends messages that last a lifetime. These conversations aren’t just about sharing information — you’re teaching values and attitudes. HOW you talk is one of the first lessons your kid gets about sexuality. Your words, tone of voice, facial expressions, and willingness (or unwillingness) to answer questions and encourage your child’s natural curiosity can impact how they feel about themselves and whether they see you as a safe source of information when they’re older.

It’s common to feel weird talking about sexuality with your kids, but try to manage your reactions in the moment so you don’t transfer shame or anxiety onto them. Remember, young kids are pretty much a blank slate — they don’t know that adults see certain body parts and activities as sexual, so they won’t understand why some people are uncomfortable talking about it. So do your best to address sex and masturbation in a way that’s positive (or neutral), matter-of-fact, and encourages them to come to you with questions in the future.

Think ahead of time about your values. Conversations about sex and masturbation not only give you an opportunity to share accurate information with your kid, they’re also an opportunity to talk about your values. Your values influence how you talk about it, so think ahead of time about what messages you want to send. It’s also a good idea to talk about these values with any co-parents or caretakers, so you’re all on the same page.

For example, you might want to think about what you’re going to say about why people have sex — is it something people do when they’re in love? That grownups sometimes choose to do with each other? To feel good? To feel close to each other? To have a baby? All of these? Some but not others? At this age, you don’t have to go into detail about all of the complicated reasons people have sex. For now, it’s more about communicating what’s most important to you.

How do I talk about sex?

The most important thing is being open, honest, and available when your kid wants to talk, and to encourage questions and learning. It’s normal to feel a little awkward during some of these talks, but remember that preschoolers don’t realize these topics are difficult for adults.

Having a negative reaction or refusing to answer sends the message that your child’s natural curiosity is bad, and that it’s not okay to come to you with questions. So even if you feel flustered, try to keep calm and positive.

When talking to younger kids, it’s common for parents to frame sex only as “something married grownups do when they want to have a baby.” Of course that is one big reason people have sex, but it’s okay and even good for kids to understand that grownups have sex for other reasons too, like for pleasure and to express love and feel closer to a partner.

Check out these tips for starting age-appropriate conversations and answering questions about sex and sexuality.

What do I do if I see my preschooler touch their genitals?

It’s okay to feel embarrassed or uncomfortable if you see your child touching their genitals, but try remember that it’s perfectly normal and healthy.

It’s very common for babies, toddlers, and young kids to touch their genitals during diaper changes, in the bath, or at any random time. At this age, nudity and masturbation is about reflexes or curiosity, not sex. Little kids don’t see genitals as sexual or inappropriate in any way — they just know that touching them feels good.

Reacting to this behavior with shock, anger, or scolding can make your kid feel ashamed of their genitals or touching themselves. It probably won’t stop them from doing it, but it can cause feelings of guilt and an unhealthy relationship with their body that can impact their future sex life or relationships.

You can teach them that touching their genitals is something that’s not appropriate to do in public. Preschoolers are old enough to understand privacy. So instead of trying to convince them to stop touching themselves, have a conversation about boundaries. You can say something like, “I know that feels good, and it’s OK to do that in your room or the bathroom. It’s not ok to touch your penis in front of other people. It’s something that’s private.”

What do I do if my preschooler walks in on me having sex?

It’s natural to feel embarrassed, but kids this age will probably have no idea what you were doing or what it means. In the moment, try to be matter-of-fact and say something like, “We’re having private time. Can you please close the door and go play in your room?”

If you did happen to yell or react in a way that could be upsetting to your kid, you can apologize later and explain that you were just surprised and that they didn’t do anything wrong. You can also ask them what they saw and if they have any questions, and mention that they need to knock before coming into other people’s rooms.

You can be honest with your kid but still give an explanation that leaves out the details of sex — “That was something that grownups sometimes do in private to feel good and show that they love each other.”

It’s not harmful for kids to know that sex exists. Depending on your comfort level and whether you’ve had conversations about sex before, it’s OK to just say you were having sex and see if they have follow up questions.

The Story Of The Woman Who Founded Protect A Girls’ Image.

                                Source: https://shiksstorytime.blogspot.com/2022/01/about-pgio-founder-ive-had-theprivilege.html

Founder protect a girls image

I’ve had the privilege to hear the inspiring story of the PGIO founder and this is a short overview.

She was just a young girl when she first met a handsome man and got married but little did she know the character development she was in for. Her first husband was young as well and didn’t know much about relationships much like most of us in this generation and their lack of knowledge costed them a lot.

Fast forward to when they got their first son. He was very adorable but had a chest condition. So one fateful day the son got sick. His chest was clogged and he could barely breath and on this particular day it so happened the husband came home drunk and couldn’t fathom reality. He was so drunk that when his wife tried to wake him so they could take the son to hospital, he wouldn’t budge.

She did what any terrified mother would have done; in her night gown and barefoot, she carried her son through the night to the hospital. Luckily, she used to stay with her sister so she had someone to accompany her. But the unfortunate part was that she didn’t have enough funds to even get a taxi or pay for consultation hence the waking her husband part.

We all know that traditionally, men are the providers and women are the nurturers so in essence she needed her husband to help her out financially especially at that trying time. All in all, they managed to get to the hospital but unfortunately the son never made it. She was so devastated and depressed. One can imagine carrying a baby for nine months only to lose him barely a year after he has been born, the toll it would have on you is profound.

Being a strong woman, she managed to recover and was blessed with another healthy son. Luckily this time round she had work and could somewhat manage to take care of them both even if she still had her husband in their homestead. Three years later they had another baby; a daughter this time but was born premature. Meaning she had to juggle work, going to the hospital to be with her baby and getting home to her son and husband.

However stressful it was, she managed and having her sister by her side helped. After months she managed to bring her baby home but to an emotionally distant husband. It was devastating for her cause we all know having friends and especially family by your side during trying times helps with the emotional turmoil one might be going through especially one that comes with Postpartum Depression, but having a caring and loving husband to comfort you is just divine.

She powered through the marriage and tried to keep it together for the sake of the kids until she couldn’t anymore and had to leave. She went through lengths to take care of her two babies: from living in a single room to sleeping on a blanket on the floor with her kids as they wore warm jackets, since they didn’t have anything to cover themselves with.

Let’s just say the universe favored her and even though there were challenges involved, she managed to put the kids through school even till college.

Her experience softened her heart to every woman and child living out there in hardship and she vowed to help in every way she can, hence, the Protect A Girls Image initiative. It is a faith-based humanitarian organization that exists to bring positive transformation to vulnerable children and their families. It helps support sexual assault survivors, facilitate prevention through education and takes necessary steps to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

Here is a link to the Website https://protectagirlsimage.org/ Feel free to check it out, contact us for any inquiries. Visitations and donations are welcome!

 

Have a blessed rest of your day,

Kind regards.

A Call to Men – The Men of Protect A Girls Image Reflect On Recent Issues.

It has been one year since those of us in Kenya and the United States began to shut down in-person activities as we recognized the danger of the coronavirus pandemic. It’s an understatement to say the last year has been difficult. For many, many of us, it has been devastating.

More than two and a half million people have died worldwide, including confirmed positive cases in Kenya are now 130,214. 13 deaths have been reported in the last 24 hours out of which 2 occurred in the last 24 hours while 11 are late death reports from facility record audits that occurred on diverse dates.

This now pushes our cumulative fatalities to 2,117. Our sincere condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their loved ones. In the last year, Covid-19 has killed almost as many people as cancer.

 

MORE FOR YOU

7 Key Lessons To Teach Kids About Body Safety and Consent In 2021.

Poverty and Depression As A Result Of Covid-19 Has Affected The Youth In Kenya

Donating Food As A Response To Coronavirus/ The Church and Nonprofits.

 

How men can prevent sexual assault

Women have suffered more than men, and women of color have suffered the most. Women are doing more unrecognized household labor than before the pandemic. In recent months, four times the number of women are dropping out of the labor force compared to men. I’m sorry to say the list goes on.

Isolating folks in their homes over the last year led to a spike in domestic violence. We’re also experiencing a mental health crisis — and us men are still not seeking the help we should. Our education system is struggling. All of these crises intersect and those at the margins of the margins are hurt the most.

But we have a big opportunity for action right now. Millions of people worldwide are getting vaccines every day, although that process is also affected by race and class. We’re seeing hiring pick up. The racial justice and gender justice movements over the last year have inspired us so much. We’ve seen some of the biggest protests and resistance in history, and we’re seeing momentum that we haven’t felt since the Civil Rights era.

As we begin to emerge from this pandemic, I want to call on all of the men reading this. Make a commitment — right now — to do things differently from now on. Together we can — we must — build a society that is more just, more inclusive, more loving than the world has ever seen. But it will take all of us.

If you already considered yourself a practicing aspiring ally for women and those at the margins of the margins, think about how you can do just a bit more (or a lot more). If you’re just starting your journey, thank you. We need you. I urge you to learn, to listen to, and lift up voices at the margins, and to donate money and skills.

Let’s commit right now that collective liberation will be the focus of the post-Covid world. We can do it. Now’s the time.

Please comment if you are a male feminist!

7 Key Lessons to Teach Kids About Body Safety and Consent in 2021.

Starting with the viral hashtag #metoo in 2017, everyone was talking about the prevalence of sexual assault and harassment. Like so many others, I have my own #metoo story.

That however is not why I’m writing right now, what I want to try to do in order to help change this prevalence of sexual assault is to empower you to understand consent and body safety.

This means teaching our kids preventative measures. This means teaching both boys and girls about consent.

 

It’s never too soon to speak to your children about sex, consent, and body safety.

1. Talk about body parts early and use the proper terminology.

When we teach our children terms for their body parts that we feel like they’d understand, childish names, it teaches a sense of privacy and shame over what they are.

When children know the anatomical terminology and have been able to discuss it openly with parents there is a greater understanding over what is not okay behavior of adults or children around them.

If something does happen, it also makes it easier for children to discuss what happened and get help.

2. Teach your children body boundaries.

Teaching children about privacy when it comes to body parts can be complicated.

I’ve read articles about how you can teach your kids that it’s okay for mom and dad to see your parts. But how often is a parent the abuser?

Then again, every parent, especially depending on the child’s age needs to be able to see a child naked to shower and bath, to change diapers, to help with toileting.

It’s necessary. This is when it comes to teaching your child boundaries. What is okay touching, what is not.

Teaching your kids that nobody outside the home should TOUCH their body parts. It’s inappropriate for anyone to ask to see them or ask them to touch others.

3. Teach your kids that body secrets are not okay.

Abusers can threaten your child if they tell about the abuse.

Teach your children that body secrets are not okay. Reassure them that no matter what you will not be mad, they will never lose mom or dad, nobody can ever hurt you over them telling the truth, and that if anyone asks to touch their body parts or for them to touch others body parts to tell you right away.

This includes someone asking them to look at pictures of body parts or take pictures of their body parts.

4. Teach your children that the rules are not different even if they know the person.

It does not have to be a stranger asking them inappropriate things.

Most often those who are sexually assaulted know their abusers. The rules are the same no matter who is asking.

5. Teach your children how to get out of bad situations.

Teach your children when it’s okay to lie if needed so they can get out of an uncomfortable situation.

It can be hard for kids to say “no”, especially to an older child or an adult.

Teach them scenarios that can help them getaway, this may even mean self-defense strategies.

6. Teach consent early.

For both boys and girls it’s easy to teach consent early.

If kids are playing, perhaps roughhousing, and one clearly is upset and wants it to stop, teach your children to recognize that and follow their lead.

This includes following it yourself with your children. My kids loved to be tickled, but there can be times that their done, follow their lead, and as soon as they show they would like it to stop, then stop.

Make them understand that they have the right to control the situation. They have the right to say ‘No’ or ‘stop’ and the other person should listen.

As well as others have that same right and if they say ‘no’ or ‘stop’ then stop.

7. Don’t require affection.

It may hurt your feelings if your child doesn’t want to give a hug or kiss, it may hurt grandma or grandpa’s feelings, it may hurt Aunt June’s feelings, but DO NOT pressure your children into giving a hug or kiss to anyone they do not want to.

It is within their power to refuse, this goes with teaching consent, it also means teaching children what power they have. They have power over their own body and have the right to say “no.”

What other body safety tips do you have? What have you taught your children? What were you taught that helped you? What were you not taught that you wish you were?

 

RELATED CONTENT:

Lack Of Sex Education Is A Major Crisis.

Top 7 Things You Should Teach Your Daughters Now.

Fighting Against Gender Based Violence During The Covid-19 Pandemic In Kenya.

Top 7 things You Should Teach Your Daughters Now.

top 7 things you should teach your daughters in 2020

Despite all the progress made, our society still puts women through the wringer emotionally.

From impossible body standards to victim-blaming, to the pressure to always put others before themselves, there is a whole lot for women to deal with from their teens and beyond.

Although parents and caregivers can’t shield girls from the world, there’s a great deal they can do to prevent them from internalizing damaging societal messages. But what are the most important lessons to teach?

Parents need to teach the most crucial emotional skills girls need to learn to navigate the world more effectively.

Here are some skills to consider teaching your daughter by the time she is a teenager.

1. How to respect and express her feelings.

We often neglect to teach our girls emotional intelligence because the popular stereotype is that females are good at getting in touch with their feelings and communicating them.

In real sense, when women are overcome by emotions, they become incapable of making decisions. Emotional Intelligence means having the ability to describe and express the full range of human emotion.

But when girls are taught to value being happy and liked overall, they often suppress or can’t acknowledge more difficult experiences.

It’s recommended that parents “authorize” their daughters’ emotions. When your girls express authentic emotions, even if they’re difficult, you take them seriously.

You don’t deny them or challenge them.

 

2. How to feel beautiful and have a positive relationship with her body.

Lost in a sea of selfies and reality television, girls might not know how to view themselves beyond objects of desire.

Teach your daughter that she is beautiful because of who she is in her heart and mind, not because of how she looks or how she dresses.

Point out that, as cheesy as it sounds, real beauty does come from within. Help her understand that trying to be sexy won’t make her beautiful, because she is already beautiful without changing her appearance.

Build her confidence in who she is apart from her looks and explain to her that confidence translates into beauty.

Make sure her Dad is telling her how beautiful she is too.

Also, Parents should discuss sex and know and use the right names for genitalia and do their best to “represent sex as a healthy, beautiful experience that should be had with joy and consent.”

That means talking about what consent means early on and emphasizing that a girl’s body belongs to her alone.

 

3.  How to stand up for herself.

Studies show that girls are encouraged by both parents and teachers to be sweet and conciliatory.

And while we don’t want to send our daughters into the world with a chip on their shoulder and their fists raised looking for a fight, we need to let them know that it is okay to stand up for themselves and voice their beliefs and opinions.

So tell your daughter that she can express herself strongly, but respectfully.

And, if someone is mistreating her, empower her to say, “I don’t really like the way you’re treating me, so I’m going to go now.”

 

 4. How to understand boys.

Boys and girls do have differences when it comes to their brains.

Boys are more visual. Boys have more testosterone than women.

These biological facts make boys and girls think differently, and approach life and problem-solving differently.

Teach your daughter that she has great value, not just because she is a girl, but because she is a person and that boys are not better or more valuable than girls.

 

Check out these Mental Health Issues Resulting from Sexual Assault!!

 

5. How to learn from friendships

Girls are frequently told that friendships are paramount, and that may be why they can be so singularly focused on those relationships.

Relationships help girls learn to assert themselves, compromise, and set boundaries.

Parents should view friendships as an opportunity to show girls what healthy relationships look like and how they can relate to others and themselves.

Encouraging her to communicate honestly and reasonably assert herself, provides her with skills that she’ll need to push for a raise as an adult.

 

6. How to work hard and have faith.

Help your daughter understand that working hard is the key to moving forward in life.

Reward her hard work with praise. Point out the link in her own life between her hard work and success.

A strong faith will help your daughter navigate the challenges of life. It will serve as the basis for her standards and the choices she makes.

Teach her about the power of faith. Teach her how to strengthen her faith. Pray with her.

 

7. How to feel self-compassion

It’s easy to be one’s most unforgiving critic, no matter gender.

But girls get a lot of messages that it’s important to please others. So when they experience a setback, it often feels like letting someone else down.

Research shows that adolescent girls may be exposed to more interpersonal stress than boys. That makes them more likely to ruminate on negative feelings, which puts them at greater risk for depression.

To help prevent this cycle of suffering, parents should teach their daughters how to deal with failure. What we want is for girls to have is the capacity to move through a setback without beating themselves up.

This means teaching a girl how to relate to herself and practice self-compassion in a moment of crisis. It’s important that instead of criticizing herself harshly, she focuses on the universality of disappointment and practice self-kindness.

By realizing others share that experience, she’ll be better prepared to treat herself compassionately and develop resilience.

 

8. How to deal with the online world.

Help your daughter see that the online world is not the real world.

Be sure that she’s spending more time with you and your family than with her online community.

The more time that she spends online, the greater her chances of feeling discouraged about what other girls have that she doesn’t, be it their clothes, their bodies, or their boyfriends.

What else are you trying to teach your pre-teen daughter? Share your comments below.

 

RELATED CONTENT:

Lack Of Sex Education Is A Major Crisis.

Fighting Against Gender-Based Violence During The COVID-19 Pandemic.

Poverty and Depression As A Result of Covid-19 Has Affected The Youth In Kenya.

 

5 Steps to Women empowerment in Africa.

 

For sustainable development, any progressive nation should take into account critical issues like gender equality and women’s economic empowerment.

As evident from surveys, higher female earnings greatly contribute to children’s education and family health, impacting the overall economic growth of a nation.

Statistically speaking, women’s contribution to waged work jumped from 42% to 46% between 1997 and 2007.

Evidently, achieving women’s economic empowerment is the key to solve issues like gender inequality and poverty and to foster inclusive economic growth as well.

Why Women’s Economic Empowerment Matters?

Women are known to contribute significantly to economics in the form of business, entrepreneurial work, or unpaid labor (sadly!).

While women living in some parts of the developed countries have the role of decision-makers and influencers, gender discrimination remains a debilitating social issue in many parts of the world, and those subaltern women are often alarmingly affected by poverty, discrimination, and other forms of vulnerable exploitations.

As any developing nation would agree, sustainable economic growth is unthinkable without women empowerment, and measures for gender inclusion is the driving factor of social progress and economic growth.

Working women have an enormous contribution to education, health, and wellness, and therefore achieving gender equality is indispensable to holistic developments.

Here are ways we can empower women especially in Africa:

 

 

Women empowerment in Africa Infographic

Lack Of Sex Education Is A Major Crisis.

Every time we had a sex talk back in high school, the coordinator would have a box where we would drop pieces of papers anonymously with questions to be answered at the end of the forum. Most of the questions that were asked are:

  • Will I go to hell if I am not a virgin?
  • Is sex supposed to hurt?
  • Is masturbation a sin?
  • Do I have to shave my pubic hair?
  • My boyfriend wants us to have sex but I am not ready, what should I do?

I know you might be thinking, these are just basic straight forward questions. Now that I am all grown up, I think these questions were real concerns for us because we had never been taught about sex.

The only basic thing was, “Do not have sex until you are married!” and “If you have sex you will get pregnant and your parents will be pissed!”

Lack of sex education- both by parents and in schools- is a major crisis that has major ripple effects through many parts of society.

Lack of sex education in schools has been identified as a major contributory factor to the high rate of teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortion in the country.

Believe it or not, every girl or boy ill one day has to make a life-changing decision about their sexual and reproductive health.

So imagine the gap that exists in the lack of knowledge that these young people require to make these kinds of decisions responsibly. This is why most of our young people are vulnerable to early pregnancies, coercion, and STI’s.

This is what we recommend. A Comprehensive Sexuality Education.

What is a comprehensive sexuality education?

Comprehensive sexuality education is based on an approach that focusses on gender and rights.

Whether in school or at home, this kind of sex education is taught throughout the adolescent life, to every age group depending on information relevant to their ages.

There are various things you can cover.

First are facts about human anatomy, reproductive health, and human development. You can go deeper on topics like contraception, consent, sexually transmitted infections, HIV, and childbirth.

Apart from pumping the youth with information, it is good to nurture positive values regarding their sexual and reproductive health. Such values are based on relationships, culture, gender roles, sexual abuse, and human rights. It is what I refer to as holistic sexuality education.

With these kind of knowledge, our young people will develop skills like critical thinking, communication, responsible decision making, and self-esteem.

 

REASONS WE SHOULD TEACH SEX EDUCATION.

Talking to children about sex is not an easy task.

If you are keen on the news an social media, there have been so many cases of early pregnancies, sexual assault cases, kidnappings, deaths, and sexually transmitted diseases.

This means that the one talk you gave your children about the birds and the bees is not enough. You should have an ongoing talk frequently according to the age they are in.

Ideally, children will get all of the information they need at home from their parents, but school should also be an important source of information.

Here is why:

 “Just Say No” Is Wrong.

I don’t know if its ignorance but Abstinence-only education does not work!
Telling your child to abstain will not affect their decision to have sex.
Teaching abstinence denies teenagers the chance to learn other acceptable options which will help them make informed decisions.
No form of sex education has been proven to make teenagers not have sex completely.
As an old school parent, this might make you cringe.
You cannot control what kind of knowledge or influence your child gets out in the world. So, teach them to have safer sex because they will have it behind your back anyway.

 

There has been a huge debate in the past about providing condoms in school and teaching contraception to teenagers.

It has been said that giving these options will make them promiscuous.

To be honest, teaching comprehensive sex education doesn’t have the downside most people are afraid of.

Providing these options does not encourage adolescents to start having sex earlier, it only helps them be safe in case they choose to have sex.

In this generation, they are already having sex at a very early age so it is good that they have safe sex.

 

Comprehensive Sex Education Reduces The Rates Of Teen Pregnancy.

There have been so many efforts to curb teenage pregnancies but you have seen how the numbers have risen recently especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Poverty is one of the primary causes of teenage pregnancies but so is a lack of sex education.

Immediately your child starts becoming eager and curious about their body, you should start educating them right there and continue throughout each stage of their lives.

 

Fewer People Abstain From Sex Before Marriage.

Abstaining from sex before marriage is a tradition that the current generation does not hold in high regard.

As a parent, you have to accept this hard truth and talk to your children about protecting themselves, making informed decisions, and keeping healthier sexualities.

 

Children Who Abstain Can Benefit From Comprehensive Sex-education Programs.

If you feel like “No! my child will abstain from sex”, which is admirable, you are still not exempted from teaching them about sex.

They too need sex education. If a child grows being well informed, he or she will be empowered by that information and will respect people’s opinions and sexualities.

Furthermore, your child will not source information from their peers or the internet. We all know these sources are not reliable because of misinformation.

 

Comprehensive Sex Encourages Abstinence, Not Ignorance.

Do you know why you hear teenagers having oral sex and anal sex instead of vaginal sex?

It is because they do not have accurate information about alternative sexual behaviors.

Young people think that oral sex is incompatible with abstinence because abstinence involves vaginal intercourse so they believe.

With a comprehensive sex education approach, teenagers will be more informed about participating in alternative sexual behaviors instead of falsely assuming these alternatives are safe.

CONCLUSION

If we do not teach sex education, we will have generations that are completely unequipped to advocate for their bodily autonomy and are extremely ashamed about any sexuality that they’ve experienced.

We will fail generations of women when we set them up to be hurt, and we failed those generations of men when we fed them toxic masculinity instead of teaching them about consent and pleasure for all bodies.

If we’re to move forward, we need to find a way to build systems that educate and protect. What Do you think?

 

Girls at Risk of Early Marriage, Pregnancies, and Missing Out on School due to COVID-19

Effects of Poverty on Education in Kirinyaga County- Kenya.

743 million!! That’s the number of girls that are out of school right now due to schools shutting down to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Most of these girls may never even return to school after the crisis is over.

Do you know what this means?

These girls are going to miss out on so many opportunities. They are also more likely to experience abuse, child marriage, early pregnancies, violence, and hardship.

With so many issues arising during this time like police brutality, gender-based violence, and digital gaps, we also need to take a close look at how the COVID-19 pandemic will impact girls around the world, and examine past crises to understand the current risks.

Over the past few months, as COVID-19 has moved from a fear-producing unknown to an era-defining terror, we’ve seen mainstream media coverage that mirrors the failures of our healthcare system, the police force, and the government as a whole.

Teenage pregnancies are rising in the wake of this pandemic because so many girls are being sexually exploited in the crisis-affected areas.

Susan, a 15-year-old girl says “ I know that so many girls in my area will suffer. There will be a scarcity of food, we will get abused and violated. Boys always ask for sexual favors if we ask them for help.”

Low-income families are most likely to force their daughters into early marriage. These girls will no longer be able to go back to school and live up to their full potential.

Related Stories: Poverty and Depression as a Result of COVID-19 Has Affected the Youth in Kenya.

Pandemics have been seen to make existing gender inequalities worse and can make it more difficult for women and girls to receive treatment and health.

Health care systems have been forced to channel all of their resources to combat an epidemic so sexual and reproductive health care has been overlooked despite the persistent need for adequate family planning, menstrual health resources, and maternal care.

 

 

 

Universities online learning during covid-19

Many schools all over the world have turned to remote learning to keep students busy but it is unfortunate that most girls do not have access to the tools that are required.

Did you know that only 39% of girls who live in rural areas make it to secondary school? Boys, on the other hand, 45% of them make it to secondary school globally.

Now imagine how much this divide has grown due to COVID-19.

Families choosing boys to go to school over girls is as a result of gender norms. It is absurd how in the 21st century, there is no agency in such issues. Girls still do not have a voice.

Related Stories: Coronavirus- How to Manage Your Mental Health During Self-Isolation.

 

Another issue is that the number of boys in low-income families who own smartphones is much higher compared to girls.

Remote learning becomes so much easier for them. Girls not only do not have access to remote learning, but also general access to learning period!

The big challenge that has remained in many countries is that girls drop out of school at much higher rates than boys.

We have made so much effort to get girls to go to school, and suddenly schools are closed.

School closures are not only causing girls to miss out academically; they also prevent girls from having access to benefits like support from other students and teachers, or the chance to network.

Protect A Girls Image is calling on governments and local authorities to make education affordable and accessible for all, continue access to sexual and reproductive information and services, protect families from hunger, tackle gender-based violence, and provide support for refugees, girls, and women.

 

CONCLUSION

Truth is that in times of crisis, disparities like these become even more apparent.

We have seen the effects this pandemic is having on women and girls.

From the increased reports of domestic violence as survivors are forced to lockdown with their abusers, to the restrictions on reproductive healthcare and the challenges of working women struggling to balance work and family.

The fact that 85% of all nurses, 75% of primary caregivers, and 62% of minimum and low-wage workers are women—women and girls’ lives are especially impacted by this pandemic.

There is a need to look at the global crisis through a gendered lens, to create awareness so we can then address these issues and create change.

Do you agree?